The present disclosure describes systems and techniques relating to processing of network communications.
Communication networks typically send information in discrete sections often referred to as packets, which can be fixed or variable in length. In addition, in the course of processing packets using layered communication protocols, packets are often encapsulated within header and trailer data to form new packets. As packets travel through a computer network, routing and forwarding of the packets is performed by network devices within the network, and the details of such routing and forwarding operations often depend on differing amounts of data found in different portions of the packets.